Dual-ion acceptable vanadium carbide nanowire cathode integrated with carbon clothes for long cycle stability

Herein, we report vanadium carbide (V8C7) nanowires (NWs) axially grown on carbon cloths (CCs) as dual-ion acceptable cathode for both lithium (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Using a facile hydrothermal method, we grew V2O3 NWs on CCs and subsequently reduced them to V8C7 by annealing with carbon sources under a H2/Ar atmosphere. In striking contrast to V2O5 NWs cathodes obtained by annealing under air atmosphere, the V8C7 NWs exhibit outstanding cycle stability during 500 cycles, and good rate capability for both LIB and SIB. V8C7 NWs as cathode active materials for LIBs exhibited 203.9 mAh g-1 in specific capacity at 0.1C after 500 cycles, representing 91.12% in cyclic retention and coulombic efficiency of 99.84%. As cathodes in SIBs, the V8C7 NWs delivered 176.34 mAh g-1 in specific capacity at 0.1C during 300 cycles. Its defect sites by removal of the oxygen framework in V2O3 NWs have high surface area (183.27 m2 g-1) and unique 1D NW structure higly mitigates the volume changes during charge and discharge with showing the superior electrochemical performance. Compared to commercially available cathode, V8C7 nanowires have very good cyclic stability as well as enhanced electrical conductivity. Moreover, the synergistic effect with 3D CCs utilized here as a current collector provides high active sites cation-accessible in conjunction with high electrical conductivity and chemical stability.